Complement is activated via two pathways: classical (CCP) and alternative (ACP). The CCP has been demonstrated in the nurse shark. The ACP has not been demonstrated in any cartilagenous fish. Nurse shark serum was evaluated for complement activity by its ability to lyse heterologous erythrocytes. As CCP activity requires calcium and magnesium, activity of shark serum chelated with EGTA (a selective calcium chelator) or EDTA (a chelator of calcium and magnesium) was assessed. Activity remained in serum chelated with EGTA but not EDTA. Furthermore, activity of chelated serum was enhanced by added magnesium. Activation of shark complement by activators of mammalian ACP (zymosan, LPS, inulin, CVF) was assessed. Complement was activated by zymosan and LPS. Immunoblots were employed, with limited success, to demonstrate complement proteins in nurse shark serum. This study unequivocally demonstrates that the ACP is present in the primitive nurse shark.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fiu.edu/oai:digitalcommons.fiu.edu:etd-3895 |
| Date | 25 November 1992 |
| Creators | Culbreath, Lieneke Cecile |
| Publisher | FIU Digital Commons |
| Source Sets | Florida International University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations |
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